"It's nothing." She squeezes her eyes shut. "Just stuff with Chad. It's stupid. It's not something you want to hear about."
"Try me."
She opens her eyes, sniffling. "What?"
"Tell me what's going on. If I think it's stupid I'll let you know."
She half smiles. "Trust me, you'll think it's stupid. You're a guy. Guys hate talking about this stuff."
"Would you stop making assumptions and just tell me?"
She wipes the tears off her cheeks. "Ever since I moved—"
"Wait. Let's sit down."
We sit on the couch, facing each other.
She starts again. "Ever since I moved, Chad hasn't had time for me. He says he'll call but then he doesn't. He only texts me a couple times a day, if that. When I get him on the phone, he's always rushing me off."
He's getting ready to dump her. He's probably already moved on with someone else. Do I tell her, or let her find out for herself?
“This girl," she says. “Tamara. She used to go to our school but then she moved to LA to be an actress. I guess it didn't work out because she's back and now she's trying do to all this stuff with Chad."
"What kind of stuff?"
"Playing tennis at the club. But that's just an excuse she's using to spend time with him. She's wanted him for years, and now that I'm not there, I think she's going to try to take him from me. On the phone just now, he said she's going out with him and the guys on Friday. He made it sound like she's just one of the guys but I get this feeling there's more going on than what he's telling me."
I keep quiet, but I really want to tell her the truth, which is that her boyfriend has moved on with someone else and is too much of a coward to tell her. I'm guessing he's already slept with this girl, and if Brook goes to see him this weekend, he'll sleep with her too. From what Brook's told me, this guy seems like someone who'd have no problem stringing along two girls at once.
"He says he loves me," she says. "And I know in his heart he does. I just don't know why he's acting this way."
"He's with that other girl," I say, unable to keep my mouth shut. Why lie to her? I know the guy's cheating. It's clear as day. She just can't see it because it's not what she wants to believe.
“No, he's at home," she says, not understanding what I meant. "Tamara's out with my friend, Jane. She invited Tamara to dinner with her and some other girls."
"I didn't mean he's with her right now. I mean he'swithher."
Brook tilts her head. "What do you mean?"
She's in total denial. In her gut she knows he's cheating but she can't admit it to herself.
"The guy has moved on," I say. "He just doesn't want to tell you."
"Like moved on with someone else?" She shakes her head. "No. Chad wouldn't do that. We've talked about getting married. Having kids. We've even named them."
Is she serious? She's seventeen. Who the hell thinks that far ahead?
"I don't know what to tell you," I say, deciding to let it go. She's not ready to accept it yet. Maybe it's better if she finds out on her own.
"Tamara's the one I'm worried about. She doesn't take no for an answer and Chad's too nice to tell her to go away. I'm sure that's how she got him to let her tag along on Friday night."
"Why don't you go with them?"
She sighs. "I don't know. I was about to tell him I would but then I changed my mind. If I went, it wouldn't be a date. We'd be with all his friends, and I don't really like his friends. Plus, I don't have a way to get there."
"He won't pick you up?"
"He doesn't want to come to this part of town. He's afraid something will happen to his car."
